http://bobcatsplanet.com/wp/dime-magazine-reports-iverson-to-the-bobcats-is-a-done-deal
Dime Magazine reports that Allen Iverson has reached an agreement with the Charlotte Bobcats and the deal will become official next week.
Friday night, Dime’s Aron Phillips spoke to an unnamed source who works in the NBA and said that Allen Iverson has worked out the details of a contract with the Charlotte Bobcats, but the deal won’t be official until next week.
Interesting, Charlotte might be able to get a playoff berth now. Larry Brown got the best out of him in Philly, might work again.
I just wish Iverson wasn't Iverson. Woulda been fun if he coulda sucked up the pride and played off the bench here.
Let's not go off the deep end with this. AI with Rasheed, Rip, Prince, Stuckey, Maxiell, McDyuess and Afflalo had a losing season and barely made the playoffs where they got embarrassed. How is a team made up of a possibly hurt Chandler, second year player Augustin, Wallace, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and a bunch of unproven players suppose to help AI get to the playoffs better than the group he had in Detroit? Because honestly, I see 30-33 wins written all over that team.
That Detroit team just wasn't very good once they traded Billups, he was obviously their heart and soul; you can't replace that, but the Bobcats won 35 games with what they have now. They just have Chandler instead of Okafor this season. In the Eastern Conference, they'll probably only need to win around 40 games. A 5+ game improvement with AI back under Brown is well within the realm of possibility.
I think a healthy Okafor is a huge asset over a possibly hurt and performing well only because he played with CP3, Chandler. Chandler's addition with Okafor's subtraction, especially if he is not 100% healthy, could mean a 10 game swing downward in the standings which in your estimation puts them at 30 wins, which is what I see.
I agree that Okafor is better, but let's not sell Chandler short just because he plaeyd with CP3. He was playing well in Chicago too, and then you have to factor in his age during the time... he got into the NBA very young. Health issues are indeed a concern. I don't know what his current status health wise is, but I would imagine that it's better than last season. Chandler's biggest strength is rebounding and defense anyways... let's see how well he does in that department.
As for Detroit, well Curry was a complete disaster. The players and Iverson certainly need to share some of the blame, but the way Curry coached that team was horrible, and I think the benefit of the doubt has to be given to the players. Even so, they still made it to the playoffs... barely, and it doesn't mean much when your W-L is poor, but they still made it and we can't take that away from them.
Before CP3, Chandler was a 8 point, 8-9 rebound, 1 block player. He haad two good years with Paul before injuries and lack of games brought him back to what he always was.
Okafor has always been a 14 point, 10-11 rebound, 1.5-2 block player without the benefit of playing with a superstar. I see that as a huge difference maker on that Charlotte team that people just aren't getting. And AI is not the AI of Philly any more. He is now one of the most inefficient scorers around. If he goes AI power hungry on this team and they rebel, watch out this could be a team that ends up with the worse record in the league and Brown will be bailing.
Again, you have to understand at what point of his career Chandler was. Of course the CP3 influence was huge, but I'm just saying that let's not sell Chandler short because he was quite young and improving. Also, the increase in playing time accounts for the increased in production also. But Chandler was already becoming what he became in NO, which was one of the main reasons that at the time Chicago opted for Wallace many felt that it was a huge mistake, and it was.
I'm wasn't trying to compare him to Okafor, was simply saying that you were being unfair to him and his skills/talents/abilities. What impact will losing Okafor have on the team? I don't know, and surely he's a better player, but I don't think there's a need to downplay Chandler as a player. Health is the biggest concern though as you mentioned.
I don't think AI will be power hungry. I didn't think he was power hungry in Detroit. He survived Denver with all their winning nice personalities. I don't think that's going to be a problem. The problem with AI in Detroit was that he felt he couldn't play coming off the bench, that was his issue, I don't see it being a problem in Charlotte as I would think he would be assured a starting spot. When he played in Detroit, I thought he did quite a good effort to move the ball as Detroit has been used to, and whatever complaints he might've had, it was never about that.
Considering he's 1 year removed from what was probably one of his most efficient seasons of his career, I don't see why he wouldn't be able to play at that level again. Really, that Detroit situation was a complete disaster for just about everyone involved, I think the benefit of the doubt has to go to the players that they can regain their performance level. That goes for Iverson, Wallace, and Hamilton. There was a high level of discontent by just about everyone involved, and their play suffered for it.
Topic: AI reaches deal with Charlotte (Read 5212 times)